Episode 3. A Rival in Love

“…What?”

Kaiden’s brows furrowed the instant Hereis finished speaking. Seeing that unfamiliar expression on Kaiden’s face, Hereis let out a faint laugh, amused.

“Brienne Ford, I mean. If it weren’t for the great Young Duke Bannon, she would’ve been engaged long ago. Do you know how many guys suffered in silence without ever getting to exchange a word with her?”

It wasn’t something Kaiden was unaware of. Conversations among young men of this age group, especially when women were involved, were always predictable. Still, of all people, for Hereis Belif to be one of them… Kaiden felt as if he’d been struck.

“Well, calling her my fiancée-to-be is just my wish, for now…”

Hereis slowly set his teacup down on the table. Kaiden stared at his face, now stripped of its usual smile.

Always smiling, yet impossible to read.

Hereis Belif was a man shrouded in mystery. Despite holding the same Young Duke status as Kaiden, he rarely showed himself in public. It was as if he had no interest in politics or even in his own household.

Then, suddenly, he had gone abroad to study at the academy. That had already been four years ago. Kaiden had no idea what whims had stirred in him during that time.

“For now, let’s just say I’m one of those guys. I’ve been curious about Brienne Ford for a long time. What exactly she’s thinking, what she likes besides Kaiden Bannon.”

“Hey, Hereis. If it’s just passing interest…”

“Well. Even if it is, you’re not really in a position to say anything, are you?”

Cutting Kaiden off, Hereis stood lightly. That arrogant attitude, allowing no response, made Kaiden let out a soft laugh.

“…Funny, for someone who said he just came to see my face, your words are pretty sharp. Not like Brienne will be touched by a man she doesn’t even know showing up.”

Only then did Kaiden realize. Hereis Belif had come to give him a notification. From the start, he’d never cared what Kaiden thought.

“Well, we’ll see. I plan to passionately court the Ford family starting today. So I sincerely hope you keep saying she’s ‘just a friend.’”

“……”

“Once is enough for a cherished friend to become a rival in love, isn’t it?”

Hereis’s cool gray eyes sank deeply. For someone who always smiled, this much seriousness only meant sincerity. Kaiden let out a bitter smile and took a sip of tea.

A rival in love, huh.

“…All this time, I thought we were friends. I’m more surprised that you’ve been thinking of me as a rival.”

“Can’t blame you for not knowing. You’ve always been the kind of guy who only sees himself. Even now.”

At that breezy reply, Kaiden let out a faint laugh. Hereis slung the jacket draped over the chair across his shoulders.

“Well, if that’s all you have to say, I’ll be off. Like you said, I skipped my welcome party for this. Oh, and…”

“……”

“If you really care about Brienne, you’d do better to keep fussing over that Melosi Brandy or whatever her name is, like always. You’ve already been in the papers, so don’t go getting in the way now.”

A clean smile returned to Hereis’s face. Staring at that unreadable expression, Kaiden gave a slight nod of his chin.

“…Right. I, too, sincerely hope your plans succeed.”

If nothing else, that sentiment was genuine. Watching Hereis’s retreating figure, Kaiden swallowed his words along with the now-lukewarm tea.

***

Olivia Ford went straight to Brienne’s room the moment the banquet ended. But instead of her daughter, it was the maid Marie who greeted her.

“Madam, I’m sorry, but Miss Brienne said she wanted to be alone. She also said she didn’t want anything to eat…”

Marie’s gaze dropped to the tray in Olivia’s hand. Olivia looked down at the slice of strawberry cake Brienne liked and sighed.

“She doesn’t want anything to eat? Is she still feeling unwell? She hasn’t eaten anything all day…”

Night had already fallen. Olivia had wanted to end the banquet early for Brienne’s sake, but things hadn’t gone as she hoped. Everyone at the welcome party kept asking about Kaiden Bannon’s engagement.

And leading the chatter had been none other than the Countess of Harrington.

“Really, you never know what’ll happen in life. Who would’ve thought Young Duke Bannon would get engaged to Lady Bailey? Poor Lady Ford. That’s why people shouldn’t be too transparent. Just look at that argument she had with my son before…”

“Anyway, do send Lady Ford my regards. Though I doubt it’ll do much to comfort her.”

Thinking back to that feigned concern laced with ridicule made Olivia want to cry. She knew Brienne didn’t fit in well with high society, but if even the Countess of Harrington, an ally of the Ford family, was like that, then it was obvious what people were saying behind her daughter’s back.

And even knowing all this, she couldn’t lash out in anger. Despite being a once-prestigious marquis household, the Ford family’s influence had long since waned.

‘All the more reason I need to be strong for Brienne…’

Olivia couldn’t bring herself to say everything would be fine, or not to worry. She didn’t know what to say to comfort Brienne. Guilt washed over her, she was sure it was partly the parents’ fault that their daughter had dreamed of marrying Kaiden.

“Olivia.”

Just as she was lost in self-blame, the Marquis of Ford came up the stairs and approached her. The perceptive Marie took the tray from her hands and stepped back.

“Damon…! You’re just getting home?”

“Yes, I was delayed today. Is Brienne in? I take it she is, since you’re standing out here?”

“Yes. What do we do? She locked herself in and won’t come out… She hasn’t been this sad since she lost her pet bird as a child. I have no idea how to comfort her, really…”

“Don’t worry too much, Olivia. Finding our daughter hiding in her room is my specialty, remember?” Damon gently placed a hand on Olivia’s drooping shoulder.

Her eyes widened. “What? You’re not saying… again…?”

“I knew this would happen the moment I saw the article this morning. I requested leave from His Majesty. He told me to take a whole week off.”

“Heavens, really?”

Olivia hugged her husband with joy.

“Thank you, dear. Brienne will be so happy.”

***

“The Marquis took leave…?”

Having left the Bannon estate, Hereis looked down at the note handed to him by a messenger. The fact that the Marquis of Ford, a leading figure in the Emperor’s faction, had taken time off meant only one thing: he was going to the territory with his family.

‘…For his daughter’s recovery. I’ll have to use a little cunning if I want to meet Lady Ford.’

Hereis changed his plans. He had been about to head straight to the Ford estate, but ever since hearing about Kaiden’s engagement, he’d been acting too hastily. Meeting her directly, that required care and meticulous planning.

He began sorting through the rumors about her in his mind.

‘Brienne Ford is cold.’

That was common knowledge among the nobility of the Rontiano Empire. He recalled a party he had attended with Kaiden a few months ago.

“I heard Lady Ford made the Count of Harrington’s second son cry again? Honestly, why is she always like that? She’s like someone born just to embarrass others. She can’t even speak in roundabout ways.”

“How did someone like that come from the gentle Ford family? If not for her father, she’d have been kicked out of high society by now with that temper.”

A lady of the Ford family who couldn’t bring herself to say empty compliments. Brienne, who couldn’t even let small slips slide. A cold woman who insisted on correcting any wrong, even in public.

That was how people described her.

“Shh, stop. Someone might hear you!”

“So what if they do? It’s not like we’re making anything up. Everyone clams up the moment she shows up. Distinguished ladies are scared of a mere girl and terrified of misspeaking. Can you believe that? Why would Young Duke Bannon associate with a woman like her?”

But Hereis’s opinion differed slightly.

Rational, logical, and more learned than most scholars, and on top of that, skilled in debate.

In a society full of hypocrisy and pretense, Brienne stood out even without her looks.

Which only made her more intriguing.

Everyone knew that she turned into a meek lamb only in front of Kaiden.

‘…Though that’s not the only reason I’m interested.’

Putting the note away, Hereis approached the waiting carriage. His guard, Aaron, stepped back and opened the door, bowing.

“Young Duke, shall we head home? It’s quite late. The Duke is still waiting for you…”

“No, since I’m already late, let’s stop by the guild. If I don’t show up at all, Father’s face will be something to see.”

“Pardon?”

Surprised by the sudden decision, Aaron looked at Hereis. But Hereis simply boarded the carriage and flung the curtain open wide.

How long had he waited for this moment?

He was going to meet Brienne Ford.

With a heart no longer needing to be hidden.

Even the gloomy, rainy weather didn’t seem so bad with that thought alone.

***